[Medical Q&A] Is nebulization treatment for bronchial asthma in children safer and more effective than infusion?

Planner: Chinese Medical Association

Reviewer: Niu Chao, deputy chief physician, Children's Hospital Affiliated to Chongqing Medical University

Bronchial asthma is a common chronic respiratory disease in children, with symptoms including recurrent wheezing, coughing, chest tightness and shortness of breath. In the treatment of childhood asthma, nebulization therapy and infusion are two common ways of drug administration.

In the treatment of childhood asthma, atomization therapy has more obvious advantages than infusion therapy. Atomization therapy can directly deliver drugs to local lesions such as small airways and alveoli, and achieve a certain drug concentration locally, which can relieve cough, anti-inflammatory, antiasthmatic, and expectorant effects. Since the drug acts directly on the lesion site, atomization therapy takes effect faster and has fewer systemic adverse reactions. In contrast, although infusion therapy can also achieve therapeutic effects, the drug needs to go through the blood circulation to reach the lungs, the onset is relatively slow, and the risk of systemic adverse reactions is higher, which requires the cooperation of parents and children. Of course, atomization therapy is not completely risk-free. When performing atomization therapy, the atomizer needs to be operated correctly to ensure that the dosage and method of use of the drug are accurate. After treatment, the mouth also needs to be cleaned in time to prevent drug residues and oral fungal infections. In addition, some children may experience gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea and vomiting during atomization therapy, or dry and itchy discomfort may occur in the eyes due to irritation of the gas in the atomized liquid. However, these adverse reactions are relatively mild and disappear after stopping the drug.

Although nebulizer therapy has many benefits, it is not suitable for all children with asthma. If a child's asthma attack is very severe, nebulizer alone may not be able to quickly control the condition. At this time, infusion may be needed to quickly allow the drug to reach the whole body to stabilize the condition. There are also some special cases, such as children who cannot cooperate with nebulizers, or there are contraindications to certain nebulizer drugs, and other treatment methods need to be considered.

In general, in the treatment of childhood asthma, nebulization therapy is safer and more effective than infusion in most cases. It allows the drug to act precisely on the lesion site, with a quick onset and fewer adverse reactions. However, the specific treatment plan still needs to be determined by the doctor based on the severity of the child's condition, individual differences, etc., and the doctor should make a comprehensive judgment to choose the most suitable treatment method for the child. What parents need to do is to actively cooperate with the doctor so that their children can recover as soon as possible.